Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has blamed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for “letting Australia down” after failing to secure an exemption from US tariffs.
US President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium imports after weeks of attempts by the Albanese government to secure an exemption.
Mr Dutton described the decision as a “bad day for Australia” and foreshadowed serious consequences for Australian jobs and industries.
“I want to make sure that we are a government that can deal with our trading partners effectively, and clearly the Prime Minister hasn’t been able to do this,” Mr Dutton said.
“The Prime Minister can’t secure a phone call let alone a meeting with the President of the United States…
“How on earth can an outcome be negotiated if the President won’t take his call?”
Sky News revealed Mr Albanese had made efforts to schedule a phone call with President Trump but these attempts were rebuffed.
“It’s not just Australians who see the Prime Minister is weak and incompetent, it’s our trading partners as well,” Mr Dutton said.
“The sad reality is because of the Prime Minister’s inability to deal with this issue, Australian jobs are at risk, and Australian industry is at risk.
“The Prime Minister needed to get this right and he didn’t.”
Mr Dutton went on to argue that the situation was a direct result of Mr Albanese’s failure to personally engage with the Trump administration.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both of whom managed to meet with President Trump, also failed to secure an exemption.
Despite this, Mr Dutton has repeatedly expressed his belief that he would have a better relationship with the US President than Mr Albanese does.
The Opposition Leader told reporters there was “no question” he could secure a deal with the Trump administration if he wins the upcoming federal election.
“I do believe that if there is a change of government we will do a deal with the Trump administration, no question about that,” he said.
“We will be a strong government that stands up for a national interest, that fights in our national interest and stands up Australian jobs and industry and economic growth.”
The Albanese government will look to seize on Mr Dutton’s claim that a Coalition government could do a deal with President Trump on tariffs.
One senior source told Sky News there was a view within the Albanese government that “Peter Dutton is backing Donald Trump over Australian workers”.
“Well, Peter Dutton, you get the sense that whenever he gets the chance to back Australia he looks at other options,” Mr Albanese told 2GB on Wednesday afternoon.
“And the role of Leader of the Opposition isn’t to oppose Australia’s interests, and he should be backing Australia rather than backing the Trump administration.”
Political Contributor Chris Uhlmann told Sky News the world order was changing under the second Trump administration and Australia needs to “get more competitive”.
Mr Uhlmann argued that the government must now focus on controlling factors within its own borders, such as energy costs and labour competitiveness.
“If we get more competitive, then we can compete in this world. If we continue on the path we’re on, we won’t be able to compete anywhere, we won’t be making anything,” he said.
